Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number and names of all special advisers, special press advisers, or any other type of Ministerial adviser in his Department; the name of the Minister / Minister of State to whom he reports; the salary of each advisor now; the salary of each advisor at the time they were appointed; if any salary increase was asked for; if this was granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37487/12]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the political activities of each special adviser, special press advisers, or any other type of Ministerial adviser in his Department; if any of them were members of a political party; if so the parties to which they belonged; if any of them are or have been elected local authority members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37568/12]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the names of special advisors for whom salary increases have been requested; the amount requested; the details of those granted increases and the amount by which they were increased [40016/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 916, 921 and 943 together.

As provided for in the Guidelines on the staffing of Ministers' Offices , I have sought and received sanction for the appointment of two special advisors. Minister of State McGinley has not sought the appointment of an advisor.

I have appointed Mr. James Kenny and Mr. Damien Garvey as special advisors with effect from 7^th June 2011 and 2^nd April 2012 respectively. As provided for in the above mentioned Guidelines, both Mr. Kenny and Mr. Garvey have been appointed at the first point of the Principal Officer Standard Scale, of €80,051 per annum. However, as Mr. Kenny is in receipt of a public service pension, his salary has been abated to €38,215 per annum.

The restrictions under the terms of the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour on civil servants engaging in political activity do not apply to special advisors and they can engage in political activity or join political parties if they wish. These are not matters for which my special advisors would be accountable to me under their contracts of employment.